Petunia plant named ‘KERSUPLUM’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Petunia  cultivar named ‘KERSUPLUM’ is disclosed, characterized by a compact, mounding, growth habit, and attractive double purple flowers with darker purple veins. The plants flower freely and begin flowering under short day condition. The new variety is a  Petunia , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Petunia atkinsiana.

Variety denomination: ‘KERSUPLUM’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘KERSUPLUM’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for ornamental Petunia varieties to be vegetatively propagated. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant.

‘KERSUPLUM’ is a seedling resulting from the crossing of an unnamed, unpatented proprietary Petunia atkinsiana with the pollen parent, a different unpatented, unnamed proprietary, Petunia atkinsiana, conducted in August 2009. The selection of the new variety was made in May 2010, by the inventor at a research greenhouse located in Cambridge, UK.

‘KERSUPLUM’ was first asexually reproduced by vegetative terminal cuttings at a research greenhouse in Cambridge, UK, September 2010. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘KERSUPLUM’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KERSUPLUM’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KERSUPLUM’ as a new and distinct Petunia cultivar:

-   -   1. Attractive double flowers     -   2. Day-length neutral flowering. Flower bud initiation occurs in         day lengths of less than 8 hours.     -   3. Compact, mounding plant habit.     -   4. Purple flower with darker purple veins.     -   5. Good tolerance to poor weather conditions.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘KERSUPLUM’ are similar to plants of the seed parent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘KERSUPLUM’ differ in the following:

-   -   1. ‘KERSUPLUM’ has a compact, mounded plant habit, the seed         parent is more spreading and larger.     -   2. The new variety produces double flowers, the seed parent         produces single flowers.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘KERSUPLUM’ are similar to plants of the pollen parent in most horticultural characteristics however, plants of the new cultivar ‘KERSUPLUM’ differ in the following:

-   -   1. ‘KERSUPLUM’ has a multi-shaded purple flower, the pollen         parent is a single purple color.     -   2. Plants of ‘KERSUPLUM’ are more vigorous and resistant to poor         weather than the pollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘KERSUPLUM’ can be compared to the commercial variety Petunia ‘Kirimaji Double Pink Vein’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,398. These varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics, having fully double flowers and distinctive dark flower veins. The new variety ‘KERSUPLUM’, however, differs in the following:

-   -   1. ‘KERSUPLUM’ has a purple flower with dark purple veins, this         comparator has a pink flower with dark pink veins.     -   2. ‘KERSUPLUM’ has a compact mounded plant habit, this         comparator has a spreading, trailing plant habit.     -   3. ‘KERSUPLUM’ flowers under shorter day conditions.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘KERSUPLUM’ can also be compared to the commercial variety Petunia ‘Blanket Double Zinfandel’, unpatented. These varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics, having double flowers and compact plant forms. ‘KERSUPLUM’ however, differs in the following:

-   -   1. ‘KERSUPLUM’ has a purple flower with dark purple veins, this         comparator has a sold magenta flowers.     -   2. ‘KERSUPLUM’ flowers under shorter day conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘KERSUPLUM’ grown in a greenhouse, in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

FIG. 2 illustrates in full color a typical mature flower of ‘KERSUPLUM’ during Spring. Age of the plant photographed is approximately 90 days from a rooted cutting in a 20 cm pot.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘KERSUPLUM’ plants grown in greenhouse in Cambridge, United Kingdom, under natural lighting. Measurements were taken during April of 2018. The plants were approximately 16 weeks old from a rooted cutting in a 1.5 liter pot. The growing temperature ranged from 20° C. to 35° C. during the days, 17° C. to 23° C. during the nights. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia atkinsiana ‘KERSUPLUM’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: Approximately 10 days at 20° C. -   Root description: Fibrous, freely branching. White, to light tan,     not accurately measured with R.H.S. chart. -   Time to produce a rooted cutting: About 21 to 28 days.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Compact, mounded. -   Pot size of plant described: 1.5 liter. -   Height: 23.0 cm to top of flowering plane. -   Plant spread: 37.0 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderate. -   Length of primary lateral branches: 31 cm. -   Diameter of lateral branches: 0.7 cm. -   Quantity of primary lateral branches: 4. -   Characteristics of primary lateral branches:     -   -   Color.—Young stem: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Mature stem: RHS             Yellow-Green 146C.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Strength.—Strong. -   Internode length: 3 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate before flowering, then opposite.         -   Form.—Simple.         -   Quantity.—31 per main branch.         -   Average length.—5.5 cm.         -   Average width.—3.5 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Angle of attachment.—About 60 to 80 degrees from stem.         -   Texture of top surface.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Darker than RHS             Yellow-Green 146A. Young foliage under side: RHS             Yellow-Green 146B. Mature foliage upper side: RHS             Yellow-Green 147B. Mature foliage under side: RHS             Yellow-Green 146B.         -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side: RHS             Yellow-Green 144A. Venation color under side: RHS             Yellow-Green 146B.         -   Petiole.—Length: 0.6 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm. Color: RHS             Yellow-Green 146C. Texture: Pubescent.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Spring and Summer in Cambridge, United     Kingdom. -   Days to flowering from rooted cutting: 21 to 28 days. -   Inflorescence and flower type and habit: Simple, salverform. -   Rate of flower opening: Typically about 2-3 days from bud to fully     opened flower. -   Flower longevity on plant: 5 to 6 days. -   Approximate quantity of flowers per plant: Average 26 flowers and 23     buds on a plant of this age. -   Persistent or self-cleaning: Self-cleaning. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Conical.         -   Length.—3.6 cm.         -   Diameter at apex.—1.4 cm.         -   Diameter at base.—0.6 cm.         -   Texture.—Pubescent, more densely pubescent at base.         -   Color.—RHS Purple N79A, venation 79A. Base Yellow-Green             146C. -   Flower size:     -   -   Diameter.—5 cm.         -   Length.—About 2.4 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter at distal end.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter at proximal end.—About 0.4 cm. -   Petals:     -   -   Length from tube.—2.4 cm.         -   Length of free portion.—0.7 cm.         -   Width.—2.6 cm.         -   Quantity.—10 to 12.         -   Shape.—Cuneate.         -   Appearance.—Matte.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Glabrous.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire, slightly ruffled.         -   Lobing.—Very weak to absent. -   Color:     -   -   When opening.—         -   Upper surface.—Near Purple N78C with veining of N79A.         -   Lower surface.—Near Purple N78B with veining of 79A.         -   Fully opened.—         -   Upper surface.—Near Purple N78B with veining of N78A.         -   Lower surface.—Near Purple 77C with veining of N77A.         -   Flower throat (inside).—RHS Purple N79A.         -   Flower throat, vein.—Not visible.         -   Flower tube (outside).—RHS Greyed-Purple N187A.         -   Flower tube, vein (outside).—RHS Purple N79A. -   Corolla tube:     -   -   Length.—2.3 cm.         -   Diameter at distal end.—1.5 cm.         -   Diameter at proximal end.—0.4 cm.         -   Texture, inner surface.—Glabrous.         -   Texture, outer surface.—Densely pubescent. -   Sepals:     -   -   Quantity per flower.—5 fused along lower half.         -   Shape.—Cuneate.         -   Length.—2.0 cm.         -   Width.—0.5 cm.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Texture, lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Texture, upper surfaces.—Densely pubescent.         -   Color.—Upper Surface: Between RHS Green 137A. Lower Surface:             RHS Yellow-Green 146B. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—45 degrees to stem.         -   Length.—2.1 cm.         -   Diameter.—3 mm.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—4-6.         -   Length.—1.9 cm.         -   Filament length.—1.2 cm.         -   Filament color.—RHS Green-White 157A. -   Anthers:     -   -   Length.—2 mm.         -   Shape.—Reniform.         -   Color.—Near RHS Greyed-Green 196D.         -   Pollen.—Color: Near RHS Blue-Green 122C. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—1.         -   Length.—2.3 cm.         -   Style.—Length: 1.9 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 145C.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Linear. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 147C. Ovary             Color: RHS Yellow-Green 144A.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: Not observed to date. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     the normal diseases and pests of Petunia have been observed. Typical     well-known diseases include: Botrytis cineria, Fusarium, Pythium,     Phytophthora, and Rhizoctonia species. Typical well-known pests     include: Leaf miners, spider mites, thrips and possibly     caterpillars. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates a range between 5° C. to 40° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘KERSUPLUM’ as herein illustrated and described. 